Reading Borough Council (25 031 212)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 20 Jul 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about action by Council commissioned Enforcement Agents dealing with Penalty Charge Notices (PCN). Mr X has accepted the Council’s offer to pay off the PCNs at a reduced rate. There is no worthwhile outcome achievable by us investigating further.
The complaint
- Mr X complains Enforcement Agents acting for the Council clamped his vehicle without first checking ownership. He also alleges Enforcement Agents failed to identify themselves, the debt owed or who it was owed to when they visited him. He does not believe the Council investigated his complaint about this properly. He wants the Council to admit fault and offer him compensation.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Since Mr X submitted his complaint to us, the Council has offered to accept payment of the two Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) issued to Mr X at the reduced initial rate of £35. The Council has also withdrawn all outstanding warrants. Mr X has accepted the Council’s offer and paid both PCNs in late March 2026.
- We will not investigate further because there is nothing more we can achieve. The Council has provided the outcome Mr X wanted from it and the matter appears to have been satisfactorily resolved.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the Council has already resolved the matter and we could achieve nothing further by investigating.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman